John Tavener: Innocence

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com essential recording
Innocence, the longest work here, is the least successful. The bulk of the piece is a catalog of cruelties inflicted by humankind on innocents--mostly children--set to harsh but generally monotonous music. But Patricia Rozario is spectacular in a three-octave solo part, and the ending, with an ethereal chorus and bells depicting the salvation awaiting suffering innocents, is magical. The shorter pieces are deservedly among Tavener's most famous. The gentle, beguiling The Lamb and the powerful Tyger, settings of poems by William Blake, make an ideal pair. (Where The Tyger's text alludes to The Lamb, Tavener quotes The Lamb's music to wonderful effect.) The two hymns to the Mother of God are models of reverent beauty; Song for Athene, made world-famous at Princess Diana's funeral, is spellbinding. --Matthew Westphal

Tracks:

The Lamb
Innocence
The Tyger
Annunciation
Two Hymns To The Mother Of God: I. Hymn to the Mother of God
Two Hymns To The Mother Of God: II. Hymn For The Dormition Of The Mother Of God
Little Requiem For Father Malachy Lynch: I. Requiem - II. Dies Irae - III. Lacrymosa - Dies Irae - IV. Libera Me - V. Requiem
Song For Athene

Amazon.com essential recording

Innocence, the longest work here, is the least successful. The bulk of the piece is a catalog of cruelties inflicted by humankind on innocents--mostly children--set to harsh but generally monotonous music. But Patricia Rozario is spectacular in a three-octave solo part, and the ending, with an ethereal chorus and bells depicting the salvation awaiting suffering innocents, is magical. The shorter pieces are deservedly among Tavener's most famous. The gentle, beguiling The Lamb and the powerful Tyger, settings of poems by William Blake, make an ideal pair. (Where The Tyger's text alludes to The Lamb, Tavener quotes The Lamb's music to wonderful effect.) The two hymns to the Mother of God are models of reverent beauty; Song for Athene, made world-famous at Princess Diana's funeral, is spellbinding. --Matthew Westphal

Customer Reviews:

Intense cathedral music.......2000-12-25

Take a creative man who likes William Blake poetry and put him in front of an organ in a cavernous cathedral and give him full reign and see what results you get. Curious? Oh, yes, and light some candles, lots of candles, and pretend you're in the 19th century...maybe at a witch trial or something (did they still have them in the 1800's?). Be warned. Track nmbr 2 you may want to turn down. I had my volume up pretty high on track nmbr 1 and track nmbr 2 came blaring through.... almost broke my speakers. But I liked it....

quality of recording mars Tevener's music.......2000-11-16

This has got to be one of the noisiest recordings in my collection. There is some kind of high frequency hum that is on a number of cuts. My recommendation is to find a different recording.

A triumph for 20th century choral music..........1999-06-11

John Tavener's "Innocence" offers listeners perhaps the broadest insight into the man and his music in the smallest and most convenient package. In this one CD, there is a sample of Tavener's large-scale style (the title work "Innocence" itself) as well as some of his finest smaller pieces (including the much-celebrated "The Lamb" and its less well-known but equally effective sequel, "The Tyger"). For those wishing to sample Tavener's command of the orchestra, there is the original version of his "Little Requiem for Father Malachy Lynch", and there is one track that everyone will be familiar with- "Song for Athene", the final piece of music at Princess Diana's funeral in 1997. It certainly is a varied programme, although certain themes (in particular Death) do crop up rather frequently. The choir seems to be right at home with just about every note and they are beautifully directed by Martin Neary- whose daughter Alice makes a special appearance as solo cellist in "Innocence". Patricia Rozario, the solo soprano (also in "Innocence"), shows here how spectacular contemporary soloists can be, negotiating a massive three-octave range with remarkable ease and purity of tone. As the notes say, it is only a pity in this recording that the theatricality of the piece cannot be conveyed fully- part of the impact of the piece lies in the fact that the solo tenor (representing Redeemed Humanity) is in a high gallery whilst the solo bass (representing Supplicant Humanity) is in a very subservient position "below" the rest of the choir. Other gripes I have about this CD are that whilst "Innocence" and the expansive pieces are perfectly suited to Westminster Abbey's acoustics, more intimate pieces like "The Lamb" are lost in them and it is necessary to crank the volume to make them out- leaving you liable for ear-ache when the next track comes on and the thunderous organ chords rip the sound system to pieces! Also, the booklet notes (although most informative) refer to other works that are unfortunately unavailable ("The Apocalypse" being one of them). However, I can only really praise this recording as some of the best Tavener available- the renditions of "Hymn to the Mother of God" and "Song for Athene" stand out in particular as utterly peerless. Even friends of mine who are usually put off contemporary music have been stopped in their tracks by this wonderful CD.

Listening to Tavener's music is a spiritual experience........1999-03-18

Tavener's music is somber, reverent, serious, and spiritual. If you like Gregorian or other sacred chant music, you will find many of the same spiritual qualities in the music of John Tavener.

A provocative and harsh, yet etherial and emotional disc.......1999-02-18

I also purchased this disc for Song for Athene, which I feel to be one of the most intense, emotional pieces ever written. The rest of the album is thought-provoking and intriguing. Never before have I heard a composer use such an array of colors as in Innocence. Although harsh at times, the beauty of the soprano and the "choir of angels" nicely contrasts the overall darkness. The remainder of the album is listener friendly provided the understanding of Tavener's use of microtones, which at times could sound like poor intonation. Tavener's harmonies are incredible, and the performers do an exquisite job of capturing the listener's attention. To enjoy this disc, I suggest a dark,comfortable, candle-lit room with a high quality audio system. Not necessarily for the classical novice, but an amazing recording nonetheless

Average customer rating:

Something for everyone -- and some things for no one ...
Wonderful playing, but not all at once

Compassion: A Tribute to Yehudi Menuhin
Philip Glass , Edna Michell , Allen Ginsberg , and Czech Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra
Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Duets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Philip Glass : The Voyage: An Opera in Three Acts

ASIN: B00005LMLD
Release Date: 2001-06-19

Tracks:

Tavener: Song Of The Angel
Ran: Yearning
Chen Yi: Romance Of Hsiao And Ch'u
Henze: Adagio adagio
Leef: T'Filah
Ruders: Credo
Satoh: Innocence
Rihm: Cantilena
Xenakis: Huuem-Iduhey
Foss: Romance
Husa: Stele
Olivero: Achot Ketana
Kurtag: Ligatura
Glass: Echorus
Riech: Duet

Amazon.com

Fifteen of the world's greatest living composers contributed works for Compassion, the musical tribute to Yehudi Menuhin and the enlightened ideals of the late violin maestro. The lineup is impressive and seemingly spans the entire spectrum of contemporary composing styles: John Tavener, Hans Werner Henze, Poul Ruders, Iannis Xenakis, Lukas Foss, Philip Glass, and numerous others. Oddly, the music they've written is, for the most part, quite similar--short, somber pieces that, not surprisingly, emphasize the violin. There are some impressive achievements, however. Somei Satoh's "Innocence" for soprano, violin, and cellos sounds a little like the "holy minimalism" of Arvo Pärt; Glass's "Echorus" features the narration of Allen Ginsberg; and Foss's "Romance" pursues a fading-Americana theme and includes an excerpt from Walt Whitman. The six-minute work for violin, string orchestra, and soprano also has a spirited mood, which is quite refreshing on this sobering disc. Violinist and Menuhin collaborator Edna Michell lovingly plays all these pieces with the Czech Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra. It's a unique tribute to a unique figure in Classical music, but it's not for everyone. For an even better sense of Menuhin's magic, check out one of his legendary early recordings. --Jason Verlinde

Customer Reviews:

Something for everyone -- and some things for no one ..........2005-06-02

I agree that this collection of 15 20th-Century music is best taken in portions, rather than its entirety. I enjoy many of the compositions more than others, but on the whole the selections are engaging. I didn't care for the Glass work, "Echorus", but that's my own personal prejudice (this was the first Glass composition to make its way into my 400+ classical CD collection). The less tonal works are hard to digest all at once, but if you have an ear for atonality, you should enjoy the middle tracks, particularly the Leef, Xenakis, Foss, and Husa. The final Duet for violins and string orchestra was my first exposure to a composition by Steven Reich other than his Music for Eighteen Musicians. Unfortunately, my CD has some damage to this track at the very end; I don't know if this is a problem with copies other than my own. This is an eclectic selection, but one that belongs in the library of serious modern music connoisseurs.

Wonderful playing, but not all at once.......2001-11-27

I ordered this CD after hearing excerpts of it on Chicago's classical music radio station, WFMT. The CD does present a wonderful selection of works by prominent composers of the past decade. The playing is wonderful, and the pieces are valuable contributions to the repertoire. I did find that the pieces were similar enough to not want to hear all 79'13" at one sitting. I am definitely glad that I purchased this recording. How many places can one go to sample works by Tavener, Ran (I particularly liked this work), Chen Yi, Henze, Xenakis and ten other composers in less than an hour and twenty minutes?

Average customer rating:

Blown away.
Beautiful Music

Transient Glory

Manufacturer: Vital Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Choruses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0000TGACS
Release Date: 2003-10-28

Tracks:

Song Of Ezekiel
Maggie And Milly And Molly And May
Who Are You, Little I
The Attic Which Is Desire
Un-Labelled
Glory To God For This Transient Life
Colors 41402
Smiling Eyes
La Damoiselle Elue

Customer Reviews:

Blown away........2004-11-10

This is one of the most amazing choral music cds I have ever listened to. Truly amazing.

Beautiful Music.......2003-10-30

This is a stunning album that sets a new standard for youth choruses. Every piece in this collection was commissioned by the Young People's Chorus of New York City, and the composers are world-class. In fact, Michael Torke's "Song of Ezekiel" was just awarded 2003 Best Octavo of the year by the Music Publisher's Association. It's a gorgeous piece. I also love the John Tavener and the Elena Kats-Chernin pieces. Choral directors will be interested to know that all of these compositions are available in print.

The voices blend beautifully and the production values are high. Each time I listen to this CD I discover new things I like about it. Although I might appreciate the Walter Thompson better live than as a recording, the album as a whole is a pleasure to listen to. I'm amazed that these teenagers have achieved such a high level of artistry.

Also, the helpful liner notes have remarks by each composer, explaining how they went about creating their commission and how they related to the youthful choristers and the idea of writing specifically for voices that are transient. This is an interesting window onto the composers' creative processes.

If you like choral music and want to hear some beautiful new work, get yourself a copy of Transient Glory.

Music Review: